Never Look Down
by Carnal desire
Summary: Because his pride demanded that trash was always trash and Agon, the closest thing there was to god, never looked down. Rated for language, rating may change in later chapters
1. Prologue

Never look down

Fandom: Eyeshield 21

Pairings: ? I'm thinking they'll be pretty all over the place in the end

Focus characters: Kongou Agon

Warnings: I dunno what I'm doing very possible ooc, miss spellings, unbetaed, amateur, no football knowledge whatsoever, and possible slash/shounenai/yaoi later on

Summary: Because his pride demanded that trash was always trash and Agon, the closest thing there was to god, never looked down.

Prologue: The step above the rest

- x - x - x - x - x -

Very few people had ever managed to convince Kongou Agon they weren't trash, when he already decided they were. Everyone was trash if they didn't have talent. If they weren't a genius, if they didn't have superhuman abilities, if they weren't impressive to someone close to a god, like him, all they could be was fucking trash that needed to get out of his way or die.

But there were some people that had surpassed these expectations with pure skill, or tenacity or whatever the hell you wanted to call it. People who through their force of will showed him that others existed in the world worthy of walking along side him. Not that he would ever acknowledge such people as better than the other trash around him. His pride wouldn't accept something like being wrong so easily.

In his lifetime, he had been wrong about three people.

Ikkyuu, someone who he'd met in high school, the other member of the Shinryuuji American football team to be granted entrance into the school through a sports merit scholarship besides himself. Of course he'd thought this guy was trash too when he'd first seen him. He was small, immature and innocent. His dedication pissed Agon off, and his modesty pissed off the other rookies of the team. But something like a dislike of dedication was easily pushed aside by the impressive show Ikkyuu put on for the team. A man who could run the 40 meter dash backwards in 4.9 seconds- who never missed a catch and who had never lost against a receiver whether it be to steal the ball or keep possession.

A guy like that, who could even defeat Agon himself to the ball despite his god-like abilities, was someone he wouldn't have minded playing with. Trash in a world above all the other trash.

As well, Eyeshield 21, Kobayakawa Sena- the runt with nothing but speed. He'd seen him in the trash's second ever match and had thought nothing of him. Trash like that wasn't at a level where anyone of Shinryuuji let alone _he_ would actually have to worry about him. Trash with not talent. The first time he'd actually met the brat too, trying to sweep his legs like an amateur- like he thought Agon wouldn't notice such an obvious attack. The only reason he hadn't massacred that trash was that there was a pretty girl right there and he had a game to get to anyway. But when they'd played against one another, he'd seen something that he had never seen from trash before- he'd seen an improvement of probably twenty times his original expectations within the course of that single game. After defeat, he'd been determined to take the whole team down the next year and he'd watched Sena continue to improve in every game he fought in, waiting for the moment he could put the brat back in his proper place.

It was fascinating for Agon to see a kid like that, some of the lowest trash he'd ever seen trying to take him down grow so much in such a short time. By the time they were playing along side each other in the game against the USA, along with all the other trash that made up the Japan team he was almost relieved he was fighting along side him.

Almost.

It wasn't until the next time that they had battled face to face in the spring tournament of the Kantou regionals, when he had suffered such a complete defeat it wasn't even questionable, that Agon acknowledged Sena as a higher level of trash as well.

By the time the brat was back from his trip to America, Agon had complete faith the only man alive that could possible match Sena was himself. No one else was even close to the same level.

The last- no the very first man to ever gain even a shred of respect from Agon, was Hiruma Youichi. Hiruma was a piece of trash with no abilities whatsoever. He was a weed that could be blown away in the wind when they'd first met, and by the time they were adversaries instead of allies in mischief, he was at best an average piece of trash that was neither fast nor strong. The only thing that fucking slimy piece of trash had going for him was his brain. A guy who Agon wasn't even able to read, not completely anyway, the best he could do was be aware of what Hiruma wanted him to see, and know that that wasn't what the spiky haired trash was actually thinking. That was better than normal trash could even recognize. He'd watched Hiruma since middle school, watched him evolve from the weed who could only sit back and rely on Agon to do the dirty work, to the trash that was considered the best fucking quarterback in Japan. The only real adversary Agon truly felt he had, the one battle with him to prove that trash could never beat true talent was one he had been fighting since the moment he began playing American football. And thanks to the slimy trash himself, he still wasn't finished fighting that battle.

Of course, Agon would never consider trash to be something other than it was- talentless pieces of shit that could never measure up. But of all the trash out there, Hiruma had stepped above as well, to that higher level of trash that Agon could even try to respect. He had been the first.

And for a long time, he'd been positive that Hiruma, the person given the special name 'slimy trash' for his special place a little above all the other pieces for trash, would be the only one Agon ever met that would reach that level of expectation. For a long time Hiruma had been the only person Agon respected. He might even have been fond of the trash once upon a time.

But that was something Agon would never say aloud.

Because his pride demanded that trash was always trash and Agon, the closest thing there was to god, never looked down.

- x - x - x - x - x -

A little something I'm doing to get it off my chest. There really isn't enough of this fandom out there, and I need a way to pass the time.

I hope someone enjoys this, and the chapters following will likely be longer. A warning that I don't know how long this will keep going of when updates will come.

Constructive criticism, or feedback of any kind is welcome as well as suggestions- though not much of the concept I have in mind can be seen in this chapter.


	2. Chapter 1

Fandom: Eyeshield 21

Pairings: ? I'm thinking they'll be pretty all over the place in the end

Focus characters: Kongou Agon, Hiruma Youichi, Kongou Unsui

Warnings: I dunno what I'm doing very possible ooc, miss spellings, unbetaed, amateur, no football knowledge whatsoever, and possible slash/shounenai/yaoi later on

Summary: Because his pride demanded that trash was always trash and Agon, the closest thing there was to god, never looked down.

Chapter 1: Finally moving foreword

- x - x - x - x - x -

It had been a mystery to him, during the final half of his last year in Shinryuuji, why his brother was so nosey about the school he'd been planning to apply to. The only assumption he could make was that Unko-chan wanted to keep up his role as the servant to his talented brother. That had been his assumption. He'd allowed Unsui to aid him in Shinryuuji only because he considered it a promise the two of them shared. That Agon would crush all the trash out there and Unsui would do all in his power to propel Agon to even greater heights.

But by the seventh time Unsui had asked him if he'd thought about college, he'd had half a mind to just tell his older brother to fuck off . Agon had no intention of going to college in the end. He could get anything he wanted without having to put an effort like that in.

But Unsui had decided that as he was on his little brother's last nerve, and as Said little brother was also the captain of their team until the end of that year (and could therefore make not only his but the whole team's lives a living hell should he feel the need, or the whim as was more likely with Agon), that an explanation of his insistent prompting was overdue.

"It's because I want to make sure I don't apply there is all, Agon-" Unsui looked down as he spoke, either not willing to meet his brother's shaded eyes or attempting an apology for his childish behavior until this point.

A sick sort of amusement, mingled with surprise shoved Agon's thoughts of tricking rich older women with young pretty faces into giving him half their fortunes out of his mind as he responded, "Are you afraid of me overshadowing you in college too, Unko-chan?" His voice was teasing and he even patted his brother's bald head fondly as he said it to show no real harm was meant by it.

But it wasn't a moment later that his amusement was drowned out completely by the surprise he felt as his brother looked at him, a determined smile he'd seen twice before on the faces of trashes like Kobayakawa Sena and Hiruma, who believed that there was a chance still left to defeat the invincible godly talent that stood so far above him.

"No." His older brother said simply, determination like Agon had never seen in his sibling radiating from the face just like his own. "I want to make sure the next time You and I are on the field together, it will be against one another." He cleared his throat, stealing himself to tell his brother outright, in challenge, his goal. "I want to defeat you, Agon."

- x - x - x - x - x -

The sun was shining brightly and he could feel the heat pressing down on him with an intensity that didn't suit the time of year. He twitched in annoyance at the thought and muttered "Fucking sun shining so bright in the middle of fucking winter-" under his breath as he wandered through the shopping districts looking for an easy lay. For all the world he looked to be in a foul mood, radiating a fearsome aura that attracted masochistic whores looking for a bad boy and repelled all else.

"Kekekeke- It's the fucking global warming you should be mad at, Fucking dreads, not the sun." Agon snapped his head around to face the source of the taunting voice and grinned darkly at the devilish blond leaning against the concrete of an ally four paces from Agon's was beyond obvious that the meeting had been planned on the trash's part, and Agon snorted as he approached, hands shoved deep into the pockets of his cargo pants. "Like it matters, trash- what do you want?" A sharp toothed grin stretched across Hiruma's face and he cackled once more."Can't I just visit, Fucking dreads? I haven't seen you since the plane back after you didn't get your 300,000,000." A vein throbbed in Agon's forehead at a reminder of this fact and scowled at the still cackling ex-quarterback.

"Like hell, Fucking slimy trash like you wouldn't come here without wanting something."

The wide grin lessened slightly, but only enough to change the effect from psychotic to devious as Hiruma straightened from the wall and approached the slightly shorter man. "I have a proposition for you."

Not stepping back, but rather drawing himself to his full height, Agon narrowed his eyes. "I'm listening." It was not lost to either of them the parallel their current interaction had with that of one they had made many years before, that had sparked their working together. Back then, Hiruma was just starting to get into American football, and Agon didn't even know what it was (well not _really_). They had made a pact to mutually benefit one another, although more than anything in Agon's case it was more to pass the time. For Hiruma it had been pure vindictive intent- getting blackmail material on anyone and everyone he could.

Now though, it was different.

This time, It was all about one simple thing. "I want you to join my American football team." Without a moments loss, Agon scoffed.

"Why the hell would I want to join a trash team like yours?" Far from being put off by this response, Hiruma only seemed to grin wider once more.

It didn't occur to him that Hiruma wasn't talking about The Deimon Devil Bats, as the trash was no longer a part of that team. Nor did it occur to him that he had claimed this team 'his' and not his and the pig trash's.

"Because you know there would be no better team" Hiruma responded confidently "Then the two of us."

"Like hell trash like you could be on par with me." Even as he said it however, Agon thought back once again to the final match of the world cup where he and Hiruma had worked perfectly in sync to score the first touchdown against the USA with the dragonfly.

Pinprick green eyes stared right into his, and he could feel his shades slipping down with the sweat gathered from the ungodly hot winter day to make their stare even more intense. The grin never left the blond trash's face as he pushed aside the protest. "It's true."

It was around now that he realized that Hiruma must have been starting a new team- in the college league. Of course that fucking trash wouldn't give up, even after his 'only chance' was down the fucking drain. The subtle acknowledgement that he was Hiruma's very first choice in team mates, and that he was looking for a partnership with him, …rather than a partnership with those two pieces of trash he had started the devil bats with…? Was no longer lost to him. He would have been flattered if he didn't already know he was the best player around and no one would want to pass him up if they had a chance for his cooperation.

Their staring contest lasted possibly a full two minutes in silence before Agon glanced away. "Tch. Fine." Delight instantly shot across Hiruma's face as he cackled in victory.

"I knew you'd see it my way~" The Devil replied, allowing the pistol that had been stealthily shoved into Agon's ribs somewhere during their conversation let up.

"Don't think it's because of you, fucking Trash." Agon warned, already turning to walk away. He didn't want to give Hiruma the pleasure of thinking it was his win. Agreeing to this had nothing to do with the stupid blond trash. "I just needed to chose a college anyway, and this is more convenient than wasting the time to look for one myself."

Not fazed by this response, the slimy trash started on his own way out. "Of course that's it, fucking dreads." Was all the response he got. And all Agon could determine was that the fucking spiky hair didn't believe him.

Agon walked back into the street and started his search for a quick lay anew, feeling much more accomplished than he'd planned to that day.

- x - x - x - x - x -

The moment Unsui had had said those words, words he'd never heard from his older brother's mouth in all the years the two of them had been alive, Agon had felt a sort of triumph fill him, to knowing that his challenge from back then in the world cup finals had been received.

Of all people, of all the trash in the world, there was always one piece that you never really wanted to throw away. A piece of trash that was worth something only to you- something like that, was what Unsui was to Agon.

That's all he cared go into on the subject- because it was stupid to dwell on little contradictions like that when you were the best of the best. Instead he often dwelled -when he felt like dwelling on something at all- on that faithful night almost five years ago when Unsui had declared his complete defeat to Agon. It was at that time Agon started crushing people for fun, instead for their money or revenge.

A request from his brother to destroy all hope for any trash that came to challenge him, just as he'd done for Unsui himself.

Not that he'd ever seen Unsui challenge him. In fact, in all the time the two of them had spent together their whole lives, all Unsui seemed to do was lay down and wait for Agon to trample him. It pissed him off at times, the weakness that his own twin showed freely.

Of all the people he'd seen challenge him, none of them seemed worthy like Unsui might have been if he had the balls to do something about it.

Although worthy was a debatable word for the circumstances anyway. Maybe more like… interesting. Unsui challenging him would be more interesting than someone else doing it.

Trash that worked hard and kept trying only managed to make a fool of themselves- they failed every time and got in the way. Except sometimes he witnessed a piece of trash writhing around in the mud, clutching at the ankles of those above them and making some miniscule difference in the end.

In times like those he thought he saw Unsui in the trash around him.

Trying his best to grab at his ankles.

Even if he was a piece of trash like all the rest, not worth anything, not the smartest not the strongest not the fastest- Unsui was inferior without even one special thing to make him above average. Even then, he wanted to see his brother fighting back, proving he was worthy of being called the brother of Kongou Agon at all.

He'd always thought things like that, since Unsui began to despair but saying something like that was also not a thing his pride could allow. To encourage only Unsui to shoot for the heavens wasn't an option for a god who never looked down.

In the end, it had been Unsui's choice from the start that stamped out his growth, and that same choice that prompted Agon to choose his current path over some route that required less effort.

And now, his brother had made another choice, another request. An interesting one. Finally, that part of his brother he'd been waiting for would show itself and Unsui would stop acting like a fucking baby and fight like a man.

He wanted to see what his brother would do, as one of the two people that knew him best.

And now in an almost reversal of their roles until now, it was Agon's job to make that possible. As the superior of the two, he had to be there to stop him from reaching greater heights, from letting him think he was done. It was his job to stay in sight as a target to shoot for.

So he had to join a fucking college American football team.

And that was all there was to it.

To make a good target for Unsui to fail to reach, (As Agon liked to assume, even though Unsui had yet to even start shooting) he needed a strong team.

He had once said a team made up of 22 of him would be a perfect team. But even Ikkyuu wouldn't be too bad as well on that team.

Having Hiruma wouldn't be bad on that team either. The fucking trash that he couldn't read, who had beaten the champions of the Christmas bowl, and who he _knew,_ would even admit,was a better ally than enemy. The other man that knew him best.

There were no Pigs or construction workers to get in the way this time.

If he wanted to work once more with Hiruma, this time on the strongest team, and watch what Unsui would do, he would.

That was the only reason he'd agreed to join the devil trash's team. Only that.

Because then, things would finally start to get interesting again.

- x - x - x - x - x -

It wasn't a week later that Unsui once again decided to badger him about college, not only for his own benefit this time but likely because he was starting to realize the strong possibility Agon wasn't going to try getting into a college at all.

This had been Agon's original plan. Before he had been confronted with the sudden changes of the week previous. This time when Unsui asked him where he had intentions for applying, Ikkyuu joined in as well, hopeful that the three of them could stay together on a team even after graduation.

Whispers snuck up from behind the tall foreheaded cornerback that made him go ridged with horror.

"…_I, the ace of the team, Ikkyuu wish to flatter you so you will trust me in future when I take you by surprise and defeat you!_"

"_Although I pretend you are my comrades, I have always thought myself superior to all of the other members of the team, including Captain Agon_"

A vein throbbed in Agon's temple as Ikkyuu tried to defend himself in a panic. He was ignored as the now pissed Shinryuuji Captain swept past him to stand in front of the three traitorous linebackers.

"Do you three think I'm fucking stupid or something?" He demanded, and they shrunk back, realizing that their ploy only worked on the sempai who had already graduated.

They thanked their stars they hadn't done this even once this year during a game, where they probably would have gotten themselves too injured to take part. The smallest of them, bracing himself for the impact a front line was sure to receive in a game winced, ready for the punishment.

But it didn't come.

Glancing up, they all realized Agon was no longer facing them, but had turned to the side to look at Unsui who's hand held firmly on his shoulder.

They were staring at each other.

Ikkyuu, who was wondering if this was a better or worse outcome then how it used to be, looked worriedly onward, not idiotic enough to attempt any sort of break up of the tension.

As the members of the team waited in strained silence, they realized no sparks were flying. Unsui stared seriously into his brothers sunglasses, his usually stoic attitude showing clearly on his hard-earned features.

Slowly, Agon grinned. "You're serious, aren't you." It was a statement, not a question, which lead to nothing but confusion from the instigators of the situation had their victim.

"I'm sure you had no doubt I was from the start." Unsui responded, the grip he had on his brother's shoulder falling away as he spoke.

Agon slung an arm over Unsui's shoulder and beamed at the lot of them in his haughty, slightly maniacal way. "Well I'm proud of you, Unko-chan! You're proving to me that it's more than talk at least. I like the determination." Seeming to have had a complete 180 in mood, Agon announced he would be attending Saikyoudai University starting next fall.

Unsui blinked at him, it was unclear if he was more confused by his brother's mood, or the fact that he seemed to have known what college he'd attend all along and just… didn't tell him the last ten times he had been asked.

Ikkyuu was the first to recover, used to the strange emotional whiplash that commonly came with the position the line had put him in for several years. "So- that's where we will go as well! Right Unsui?" He looked excitedly at the hairless twin, still being lazily embraced by his brother as he slowly shook his head.

"Unsui's not gonna be on the same team as me anymore." Agon told them, before Unsui could speak. He had a dangerous air about him again as he released his brother and started walking away.

"Why not- Is he angry again…?" Ikkyuu looked back and forth between Agon's retreating back and Unsui's stunned visage.

"No.." Ikkyuu was only more confused by this vague answer as Unsui watched his brother walking away with one of _those _grins present on his threatening features. Unsui, having known his brother by far the longest was the only one who had been able to decipher the feeling Agon had been exuding as he took his leave.

It seemed to almost baffle him, but at the same time he felt his heart race at the thought that Agon had been… excited.

Excited that Unsui of all people would be challenging him? It made no sense.

Squaring his jaw he watched the receding back of his brother, Unsui realized he was excited too.

- x - x - x - x - x -

Aaaand there for that. It came a lot faster than I expect to be updating in future but you never know.

Admittedly, the more I do of this the more I can't shake off the feeling I'm killing these characters... But I'll continue the story as long as possible none the less.

As I said before, any suggestions and/or crits are more than welcome, if anyone has any ideas for what might happen in future now that you've got some idea what's even going on-

I look forward to hearing from anyone who has something to say.


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